“As the Senate Majority continues its efforts in Albany to pass a fiscally responsible budget, I would like to share my thoughts on one of the issues currently being considered, which is stalling this process. One of the areas where there is fundamental disagreement, is related to restoring the senior STAR rebate program, which I believe is a critical component that must be included in the final budget agreement.”

“The State budget negotiations are taking longer than we had hoped, however it is critical that measures like the STAR rebates be made available to help reduce the financial burden on our seniors. While compromises will be necessary during these negotiations, I will continue fighting for all of New York's seniors by restoring the STAR rebate program and finding other solutions to provide working families with property tax relief now.”